WRITTEN BY EMILY BAER
According to the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers, there are 53 million family caregivers providing comfort, compassion, and daily support to loved ones throughout the United States. Sometimes called primary caregivers, these individuals handle day-to-day logistics, navigate complex medical systems, and offer steady, loving companionship to those in their care.
According to AARP’s 2023 “Valuing the Invaluable” series, “Unpaid care provided by 166,000 caregivers in Maine is valued at $2.9 billion.” Despite their profound impact on our state and communities, it can often feel like a lonely journey for the thousands of Mainers who serve as caregivers. Just as this work is quiet and tender, it is often also overwhelming, exhausting, and isolating.
Still, there is a community of caregivers and allies at the local and national level who can offer assistance and understanding. Whether you’re just beginning to care for someone or have been doing it for years, these tips will help keep you energized and connected.
Look to Your Neighbors in Maine
If you are caring for an aging loved one in Maine, you can turn to any one of five Area Agencies On Aging that provide education, resources, and support to caregivers across the state. Each agency, also an Aging and Disability Resource Center, is designed to serve a specific geographic area and offer services such as Information sharing and referrals, respite opportunities, Medicare or health insurance counseling, classes and training, options counseling, advocacy, and care partner support services.
Explore National Resources
If you’re looking to connect to national networks, there are organizations across the country whose mission is to support caregivers and their partners. In addition to the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers, the Family Caregiver Alliance and National Family Caregiver Support Program provide a variety of tools to help navigate caregiving relationships. Similarly, AARP has a suite of online and in-person resources to help people “choose how they live as they age.”
Find Your People
While everyone’s care experiences are different, there is power in sharing your story with those who understand what you are going through. Local, regional, and national organizations host support groups with options for in-person or virtual participation. Even better? Groups are often organized around specific areas of need. Connect with folks in condition-specific groups, peer-led groups, groups centered on certain ages or geographic areas, and groups based on demographics or interest areas (veterans, LGBTQ+, Gen-Z, hobbyists, or cross-cultural caregivers, for example).
Learn As Much As You Can
“You learn something new every day” is more than an adage for those engaged in caregiving. Opportunities to gain new knowledge, skills, or perspectives are practically endless, and the topics you can explore range from very broad to very specific. For example, the Southern Maine Agency on Aging hosts a statewide Savvy Caregiver training for “families and friends caring for someone with dementia.” You can also find classes geared towards estate planning, healthy cooking, time management, and meditation. Remember, knowledge is power.
Explore Technology
Even though humans have been tending to one another for as long as we’ve been around, caregiving has evolved alongside technology. These days, care partners have access to websites, apps, and software to help monitor safety conditions, manage medications, and connect with loved ones near and far. Exploring your tech options with a care organization or medical professional could be invaluable, especially for those in rural areas of the state.
Give Yourself Grace
This work is essential, and taking time to take care of yourself is as important as the time you give. As former First Lady Rosalynn Carter once said, “There are only four kinds of people in the world — those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers.”
